ESTHER (the word signifies "the planet Venus") is the Persian name of Hadassah, daughter of Abigail, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite. She is repre sented in Scripture as an orphan, and as having been brought up by her cousin Morde cai, an officer in the household of the Persian monarch Ahasuerus. Her history, as recorded in the book of E., is well-known and extremely interesting. When the mis conduct of Vashti had cost her her " royal estate," all '''the fair young virgins" of the kingdom were gathered together, that Ahasuerus might choose a successor. He selected Hadassah, who received the name of E. on account of her loveliness. The great event of her life was the saviog of her Jewish countrymen from the horrors of that universal massacre planned by the malice of Haman. and consented to by the thought less cruelty of an oriental despot. The details of this event are too familiar to require
narration.- It is sufficient to say that E.'s success was signal; and the feast which she and her cousin Mordecai appointed in memory of their deliverance—viz., the feast of Purim (i.e., of Lots), is, in consequence, celebrated with great enthusiasm. E. is not mentioned in profane history, whence it has been inferred by some that she was not exactly the wife of Ahasuerus (Xerxes), but rather the favorite of his harem, to which she undoubtedly belonged; for, as we read (ii. S), E. was consigned "to the custody of 'Ilegai, keeper of the women." This hypothesis is rendered probable by the fact, that the Persiankings did not choose wives from their harem, but from the principal Persian families, or else from/he dangliter8 of potentates.